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From: krm@aluxz.UUCP (Kurt Marko)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Cheap LW without PS?
Message-ID: <859@aluxz.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Jun-87 08:27:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: aluxz.859
Posted: Mon Jun 29 08:27:23 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 1-Jul-87 04:42:20 EDT
References: <1604@tekig4.TEK.COM>
Reply-To: krm@aluxz.UUCP (52153-MARKO, KURT R)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ
Lines: 28
Keywords: Apple LaserWriter PostScript
Summary: Keep new LWs PS!

In article <1604@tekig4.TEK.COM> briand@tekig4.TEK.COM (Brian Diehm) writes:
>Rumors continue unabated in the press about Apple bringing out a low-cost
>LaserWriter without PostScript. Target price appears to be <$2000. It would
>have a built-in QuickDraw RIP.
>
>So, is this product a waste of Apple's time? If it is, and we say so loud
>enough on this net, maybe the product planners there will get wind of it. The
>reports I've heard imply that this one is not a clear call within Apple either,
>and that there are armed camps with their own perceptions of the market. By
>providing YOUR views in this group, we can function as some sort of informal
>market survey!
>
I couldn't agree more!  I hope the Apple people are listening.

Apple showed great vision by adopting PostScript as the page description
language for the LaserWriter, and as such, turning PS into the "standard"
PDL for new laser printers.  Just as a lot of software is now available
which supports PS (both importing PS files and writing PS output), I 
would hate to see Apple back away from this standard just to trim a few
bucks off of the price of the printer.  The beauty of PS is that once
I have my graphics information in PS, I know I can print it on anything
from a LW (or QMS, or TI, or ...) to a Linotronic.

Please, Apple, I would like to see the price of LWs go down (I'd love
to have one at home!), but not at the price of PostScript compatibility.

Kurt Marko
{ihnp4,ulysses,...}!aluxz!krm